This disclosure is directed to an apparatus which can be inserted or removed from an ice chest. It is particularly useful with a portable ice chest incorporating raised transverse members along the bottom thereof for supporting a rack or tray.
A portable ice chest is normally chilled by placing crushed ice in the chest. As the ice melts, it accumulates water on the bottom. The water has a tendency to soak certain stored items. In the instance of canned beverages in glass or metal containers, this poses no particular problem. By contrast, this is a more significant problem in the instance of storing paper wrapped products which wrapping might not fully exclude the water. This would apply to sandwiches and bread. This would also apply to various and sundry pastries. In large part, soaking depends on the integrity of the wrapping; it is not likely that the wrapping will stay completely dry on the interior for extended periods. The tendency to soak the wrapping and hence the product protected by the wrapping is cumulative. It is also aggravated because the ice melts and accumulates water in the bottom of the portable ice chest.
Trays or platform to be positioned in the bottom of an ice chest have been devised heretofore. One such tray is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,157 of Laramy. This shows a tray which is hinged so that the hinged portion can be swung aside. U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,944 of Gardner discloses leg supports. There are a number of limitations in devices of this sort. The present apparatus does not include a hinge with moving parts which are susceptible of rust or freezing as a result of rust. The present apparatus tolerates water without damage. One of the deficiencies of the Laramy apparatus is the pivot without a fixed angular position and the required moving parts. The apparatus of this disclosure is summarized as a large planar surface elevated above the bottom of the ice chest and including a number of perforations therein to drain the ice placed on the tray.
In a simplified alternate embodiment, the apparatus includes a large planar surface supported on a set of raised transverse members along the bottom of the ice chest.
Food products placed in the ice chest of the invention may be kept above the water resulting from melting ice. The food protection avoids smell and contamination as typically occurs on storing recently caught fish prior to cleaning. The ice water picks up the slime or protective coating found on most fish species. It is usually undesirable to get this slime on the food or food packages. The ice is supported above the water in the bottom of the ice chest isolated or surrounded by cold, non-circulating air. The ice is therefore separated from the water in the bottom of the ice chest by a dead air space. This arrangement is particularly advantageous because air is an insulator and does not readily transfer heat to the ice on the tray. Therefore the ice lasts longer, keeping the food products fresh for a longer period of time.